This has been quite a concert season for us. First we saw Midland Theatre. Then we drove to Denver to see Sigur Ros at Red Rocks, followed quickly by Beck the next Monday at the Uptown. Sigur Ros was great, especially considering the location. Red Rocks is a beautiful place, and the sound was awsome. Beck was technically good, but he seemed burned out somehow, like it was just another day on the job.

It all pales in comparison, for me anyway, to last night’s concert. After a lifetime of being a fan, I finally saw David Byrne live! He is, by far, one of my favorite artists. He’s so original, and yet totally genuine. He seems to be truly touched.

One of the two first tapes – yes, tapes – I ever bought with my own money, back in junior high, was Talking Heads’77 (the other was Joan Jett – I Love Rock ‘n Roll). I’ve loved his music ever since, whether as part of Talking Heads or his solo career.

In concert he looks like he’s really having fun. The audience gave him a standing ovation the moment he got on stage and by the end of the third song another one, worthy of a cheer for an encore. I think he and his band were truly taken aback by that – they looked a little surprised and touched. David Byrne smiled a lot, which is great to see. The first two encores at the end of the concert were expected, but the third looked totally impromptu.

The whole evening felt a little surreal to me – I couldn’t believe I was actually seeing him in person. And we had some great seats, center orchestra, just seven rows from the stage. Byrne played a great mix of material. I wasn’t sure he would since the concert was billed as an evening of him performing his collaborations with Brian Eno. Don’t get me wrong, I would have been just as thrilled to experience that, but he also included stuff from his own solo career as well as some Talking Heads material. It was the most incredible evening. I was in tears for a lot of it – overwhelmed by his presence. Anyway, enough gushing, here are some pictures (these and a few others are now on my Flickr Page):

I’m swamped at work – the new semester starts next Monday and, just like every other year, everyone realizes that they need everything at the last minute. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining – I love my job, more than ever, but it’s wearing me out. The last two and a half weeks (is it only Monday??) I get home and crash, I can maybe stay conscious for a movie, but that’s about it. I can’t wait for the semester to actually start so that I can breathe again!

But that’s not what I set out to share. This is:

Two of my favorite musicians – David Byrne and Brian Eno – have collaborated again, thirty years after their first incredible collaboration. I’ve been listening to this as much I could all day and it’s great. Everyone that came into the office asked what it was – they were all really digging it.

AND David Bryne is coming to Kansas City in October! I missed him last time he was in town – I’m not going to make that mistake again!